What a stupid POV.
Gee, thanks, Iavas.
I am not at present in a position of power so cannot ban these shows. Be sure I will, though!!! The suffering tens of thousands will NOT see these shows, not if I can help it. They will have to see Little Theatre versions of them on a 12 foot stage lit by candles!!!
For the luvva pete, man, lighten up.
It's all a matter of taste, I guess. I sincerely did not like Cats, POTO, or Les Mis. I thought they were over-hyped. Likewise Miss Saigon. However, I did not see them in New York or London but in Vancouver, and so I may not have seen the best talent perform in them. However, there are thousands of Vancouverites who would stare in shocked horror to hear me say I didn't like them. They were from Broadway!!! They must have been good!!! I've seen Broadway shows on Broadway, too. Some were great, some were awful.
On the other hand, I loved Mamma Mia, even though there was not one "name" performer in it. I saw Yul Brynner in The King and I, saw Richard Harris in Camelot, saw Mickey Rooney and Anne Miller in Sugar Babies, and those were
fabulous shows. (In Vancouver, at that.) Once upon a time we had subscription seats to the ballet and my husband and I enjoyed several decades of the world's finest dance. Nureyev in his prime, Baryshnikov, and dozens of others, including Canada's own immortals, Karen Kain and Evelyn Hart.
But to be honest, most of the best theatre evenings we've enjoyed have been regional, local productions. Yet, many people will NOT go to local theatre, thinking it inferior to the traveling shows. Well, sometimes it is, and sometimes it isn't. You don't know if you don't go.
Everyone starts somewhere. The young guy starting out at Vancouver East Cultural Centre might be a headliner on Broadway one day.
Of course, there is a kind of snobbery at work when it comes to The Arts: if it comes from away, it
has to be better than home-grown. The consistently most enjoyable ballet company I know of is a money-poor dancer-rich company from right here in BC. I've seen pretty well every major ballet company in the world, and Ballet BC is as good as most and better than a lot of them. But when the Kirov or Royal Covent Garden troupe comes to town, suddenly there is not a seat to be had. I want to stand up in the theatre and shout, "You guys don't know what you're missing!!! Next week Ballet BC is doing 'In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated' and it would blow your sox off, but you think this bunch hasta be better cuz they're from Russia or London!"
I like to be engaged and entertained, and I find that many of the big traveling shows are doing it by rote, they often seem tired. There is a magic in live theatre that energizes you, when it's done well.
Our next night at The Theatah will be the Christmas pantomime, and I can hardly wait.